UNIT 4 MEASUREMENT OF POWER SYSTEM PARAMETERS
4.2 Advanced Instruments and Controllers
Digital Trivector meter- Digital Demand indicator and Demand Controllers – Automatic power
factor controller - Static TOD(Time Of Day) meter- Net Metering - block diagram and features –
Automatic Meter Reading (AMR)
Digital Trivector meter
The Trivector meter is a measuring instrument which measures the Active Power, Reactive
Power and Energy consumed in a power line. Trivector meters are normally used in
substations to measure the power flowing through the feeders. They are also used for
billing the power drawn by industrial loads.
Fig 1a: Trivectormeter Fig 1b : Trivector meter connections
Trivector meter has two types, one is Three phase three wire meter and other Three
phase four wire meter .
It is connected in the substation to incoming or outgoing feeders to know how energy is
given out or received from other end..
The most common type is more properly known as a kilowatt hour meter. The values
measured by these meters are used to generate the electricity bill.
Basic Parameters: The basic parameters such as line currents I R , IY ,IB , VRY , VYB and VBR
and frequency are measured using current sensor and Voltage Sensor.
Derived Parameters: The other parameters such as Phase Voltages , Phase Currents ,
Power factor , Active ,Reactive and Apparent Power and Energy are calculated from the
Basic parameters . All Data are recorded with Date and Time in the memory.
All the above data will be scrolling in the Display continuously.
Digital Demand Indicators and Demand Controllers
The maximum demand on a power station is defined as the greatest demand of load on the
power station during a given period. The load on the power station varies from time to time.
Maximum Demand Indicator (MDI) is an instrument for measuring the maximum amount of
electrical energy required by a specific consumer during a given period of time.
Demand is the total connected load in a H.T. consumer service connection.
The Demand indicator and controller records the Maximum power drawn by the
consumer during a particular billing period
At the same time it should not record maximum power drawn momentarily due to faults
like short circuit.
It is designed to record the average power over successive predetermined periods ( 15
to 30 min)
The highest of all average is taken is maximum demand for the billing period.
Digital Maximum Demand Controller & Indicator
Digital Maximum Demand Controller is a device designed to meet the need of industries
to be conscious of the value of load management.
Alarm is given when demand approaches a preset value. If corrective action is not taken,
the controller switches off non-essential loads in a prioritized sequence.
This sequence is predetermined by the user and is programmed in the device.
Demand control scheme is implemented by using suitable control contactors.
Audio and visual annunciations could also be used.
Since kVA = kW / PF
kVA is accounted for maximum demand instead of kW because it includes the loss due
to poor power factor also.
Fig 2 Maximum demand Indicator and Controller
Uses
High-tension (HT) consumers have to pay a Maximum Demand charges in addition to
the usual charges for the number of units consumed. This charge is usually based on the highest
amount of power used during predetermined time slots (say 30 minutes) during the billing
period. The maximum demand charge often represents a large proportion of the total bill.
The Demand Indicator helps the consumer to use electrical power with an awareness
and control the Maximum Demand within limit and use electrical power efficiently.
Automatic Power Factor Controllers
An automatic power factor controller monitors the power factor, which is the result of
the ratio of real and apparent power. We tend to establish the power factor close to
unity. The automatic power factor controller is used in electrical systems to improve the
power factor in case the power factor falls below a determined level.
APFC are used to compensate instantaneously the lagging power factor of the loads by
automatically including required amount of Capacitor banks.
o There is a built-in power factor transducer, which measures the power factor of the
installation and converts it to a DC voltage of appropriate polarity. This is compared with
a reference voltage in the microcontroller.
o When the power factor falls below the reference value , the capacitors are switched on
in a sequence. The capacitors controlled by the relay card and they are switched on/off
in linear sequence.
o Special timing sequences ensure that capacitors are fully discharged before they are
switched in again. This avoids dangerous over voltage transient.
o Figure shows Automatic Power Factor Controller. It controls the power factor of the
installation by giving signals to switch on or off power factor correction capacitors.
4.2 Net metering
o Net meter is a bidirectional power flow meter which records power flow in both
directions and records separately.
o When the solar panels produce excess power, that energy is sent to the grid and
in exchange you can pull from the grid when your system is under-producing
during night time.
o With the right size solar energy system, It can produce enough electricity to
match the home’s electricity use for the entire year. However, the amount of
electricity produce in solar panels will vary throughout the year based on
climate.
o Solar energy systems typically hit peak electricity production in the afternoon,
when many people are not in home and using electricity. Electricity usage at
home will be typically higher in the mornings and evenings.
o Net metering helps to account for these ups and downs in day-to-day
electricity production and usage.
Fig 5 Block diagram
Fig 6a Net metering function at Day
Fig 6b Net metering function at Night
4.2.5 Static Time of day meter
Time of Day metering (ToD), involves dividing the day, month and year into tariff slots
and with higher rates at peak load periods and low tariff rates at off-peak load periods.
This meter can be used to automatically control usage on the part of the customer and
imply the customer's responsibility to either control his own usage, or pay penalty accordingly .
This also allows the utilities to plan their transmission infrastructure appropriately.
ToD metering normally splits rates into an arrangement of multiple segments including
on-peak, off-peak, mid-peak or shoulder, and critical peak.
A typical load variations in a day are shown in figure with peak load and off peak load.
Fig 7 STOD Meter block diagram
It can also be defined as a trivector meter designed to record active, reactive and apparent
power along with M.D. indicators but with the facility to record the readings in various time
slots as shown below:
TOD – Time of Day (5 Slots scheduled for TANGEDCO)
Slot 1 : 6 am to 8 am
Slot 2: 8 am to 6 pm
Slot 3 : 6 pm to 10 pm
Slot 4 : 10 pm to 12 am
Slot 5 :12 am to 6 am
This is to prepare the bill based on the tariff which covers both Energy consumed as well the
time of day in which it is consumed.
Automatic Meter Reading:
Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) aims to move away from the traditional method of manual
reading of electricity meters in which a meter reader who visit every meter location periodically
and read the meter value manually.
AMR is the remote collection of consumption data from customers' utility meters using any one
of the methods such as radio frequency (RF) , GSM , Mobile SIM,Internet ,IoT technologies. This
system provides electric utility service company (TNEB) the opportunity to increase operational
efficiency, improve customer services, reduce data-collection costs and quickly gather critical
information that provides insight to company decision-makers. The existing digital energy
meters are upgraded by adding IO module to provide remote communication capabilities.
At the same time, the receiver module unit interfaced directly to a computer/laptop to record
and display, manipulate and prepare reports all necessary details,
Figure 3 Receiver Block Diagram
